Winter Recipes

This healthy dietician-approved recipe is the perfect addition to your kitchen staples. High fibre bread with 4 variations of soup recipes.

Basic Vegetable Soup

(Serves 4-6)

This hearty vegetable soup is quick to make and serves as a base for several other delicious seasonal soups. It’s lovely served with fresh, hot bread (Quick Bread – see below).

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 sticks celery, sliced
• a few sprigs of parsley, chopped
• 4 cups hot water
• 2 Tbsp stock powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp milled black pepper
• 3 cups seasonal vegetables (such as baby carrots, watercress, spinach, peas etc.)

Directions

1. Place all ingredients except salt, pepper and seasonal vegetables in a large pot and bring to the boil.
2. Turn down the heat and allow to simmer until potatoes are very tender (about 30 minutes).
3. Add seasonal vegetables and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
4. Pour into a blender and blend until smooth.
5. Stir in salt and pepper. Serve piping hot.

Variations

Spiced Carrot Soup – Add 3 cups chopped carrots and ½ teaspoon each of ground coriander and ground cumin. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

Green Pea Soup – Add 2 ½ cups frozen peas and 1 tablespoon sugar. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and mint.

Tomato Soup – Add two 410 g tins of peeled chopped tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Garnish with a swirl of fat free yogurt and a sprinkling of chopped chives.

Garden Spinach Soup – Add a large bunch of well-rinsed, de-veined spinach, roughly chopped. Garnish with a dollop of fat-free cottage cheese and chopped fresh mint.

Quick Bread

(Makes 2 loaves)

This lovely weekend loaf is quick to make, but it tastes as if it has involved hours of baking. You can vary the basic recipe by adding thinly sliced onion, chopped spring onions, sun-dried tomatoes, sliced green peppers and herbs.

Ingredients:

• 7 ½ cups nutty wheat flour
• 3 Tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 heaped tsp salt
• 4 cups buttermilk*

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰C.
2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a big bowl.
3. Add buttermilk and mix very well.
4. Spoon the mixture into 2 non-stick loaf tins and bake for 1 hour.
5. Serve hot with fat-free cottage cheese.

*Buttermilk can be made by taking one cup of low-fat milk and adding one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Let it stand until it curdles (about 10 minutes) before using.